I loved this book. I first picked it up because of the beautiful cover and then I loved the idea of a girl in a poor position escaping from the horribI loved this book. I first picked it up because of the beautiful cover and then I loved the idea of a girl in a poor position escaping from the horrible place to be free and travel. But don't worry this is not a poor Cinderella who was rescued by a prince and lives happily ever after. No this is story is filled with adventure, surprises, betrayal and true love. In fact this isn't a Cinderella story at all but a world filled with wonder and magic :)....more

I’ve struggled to figure out how I should write this review because all I really want to say is that this book is great and that if you like time travI’ve struggled to figure out how I should write this review because all I really want to say is that this book is great and that if you like time travel, Victorian London and well thought out characters then you’ll love Sojourn, but that’s not really a review is it?

Sojourn begins in Pompeii on, as Doctor Who calls it, Volcano Day. The top has blown, smoke is billowing, people are screaming and the lava is flowing, and flowing rather too quickly for Jacynda Lassiter’s taste because she isn’t running away in terror trying to escape the catastrophe she’s waiting impatiently for a “tourist” who’s excitedly trying to jot down as much of his observations as he can. Not caring that he’s soon about to become part of his observations. Luckily however after some coercing Jacynda does escape the lava with the tourist in tow and is back at her work place in the year 2057 where time traveling isn’t much of a phenomenon as it is a vacation option. Jacynda’s has had enough with time travel however, it may be fun for the tourist but the constant trips have side effects and she is in desperate need of some R&R among another thing that involves a bed. She doesn’t get that however because there is an overdue tourist in 1888 Victorian London and she’s been assigned to go retrieve him.

What I really loved about Sojourn was despite it being a sci-fi, time traveling story with high tech gadgets and styles a lot of it took place in the year 1888 during the time of the White Chapel murders or more commonly known as the time of Jack the Ripper. There was so much detail that it was obvious that Ms. Oliver had done her research and she did a great job of intertwining her story in such a real point in history that I had really felt like I had traveled back in time with Jacynda.

The story is filled with mystery as Jacynda desperately tries to locate the overdue tourist while battling through Victorian customs, time traveling induced hallucinations and a city cloaked in fear by the grisly murders of a serial killer, not to mention shape-shifters, did I mention the shape-shifters?

They were the most surprising thing in this story, a nice unique addition that made trusting people such a difficult task and kept me on my toes as I constantly wondered if one of the main characters was indeed Jack the Ripper. It was also nice to see that the future wasn’t the only part of the story that had the science fiction aspect and it was a great way to weave the past and future together.

If you are still hesitant on reading this story then don’t the characters are really worth haveing their story read.

4 stars

Would have been five but there were some slow parts in the beginning that had me putting the book down. ...more

Considering the things I have heard about James Patterson books I have never been interested enough to read any novel by him. Not even the original noConsidering the things I have heard about James Patterson books I have never been interested enough to read any novel by him. Not even the original novel from which this manga is adapted from but from the moment I found out on Svetlana Chmakova’s livejournal that she would be doing the artwork for the adaptation I was on board.

First of all to get my fangirling out of the way I will comment on the artwork. I loved it (points to cover). Svetlana does a great job of portraying different emotions through facial expressions and displaying action sequences without smothering the page in too much detail. And her character designs within a story are always unique enough that you won’t mix anyone up or mistake a guy for a girl (I’m talking about you Japanese creators). However, if you compared a few characters in this book to characters in her other series you might be like me and go “hey ___ looks like ___ from ____” but that has been my experience with other mangakas as well so I wasn’t bothered by this just making an observation.

The story, it has a lot of potential and I am still interested to find out what happens in volume two but honestly volume one was sort of a mess. Despite actually being around sixty-six pages longer than the standard manga volume Witch & Wizard: The Manga vol. 1 felt both rushed in story line and lacking in background information. The story starts off at some point in the future where the main characters along with their parents are on a platform in the middle of a packed stadium about to be executed, after this we jump to the past to find out how they all came to be in that situation. In the middle of the night while everyone is asleep both Wit and Whisty are taken from their home under the charge of being a witch and wizard and they are each allowed to take with them one item, their mother hands Whisty a drumstick while their dad gives Wit a blank book. Now from this moment it’s obvious to the reader that the parents know more than they are letting on and that Wit and Whisty know absolutely nothing about being “special”. They aren’t the only ones however to be charged for their “crimes” because when they get carted off to prison (which is an abandoned mental ward) they are surrounded by hundreds of other children their age.

Witch and Wizard was an action-centric story lead by two fairly interesting young characters, both Wit and Whisty despite being forcibly removed from their homes, imprisoned in a rundown building, forced to undergo testing, and over the top punishments under the supervision of cruel child-hating warden take all their hardships in stride. They rarely fail to crack a joke and never break out into hysterics, which would have been my reaction. I had first assumed since the new Government regime was so openly anti-magic and the public was jumping on board no hesitation that in the alternate universe, knowledge about magic was the norm and everyone was in the know but that really isn’t the case, magic is as new to Wit and Whisty as it is to everyone else but everyone else' reaction wasn’t what I was expecting. No one was questioning it, acting skeptical and there were a lot of knowledgeable people in this world which made me think background information on both the new government and the world of Witch and Wizard would have left me feeling less confused.

It would have also helped if the entire first novel hadn’t been packed into this one volume because so much had happened that there was barely any time to take a break and digest all that was going on. There was barely any character development for anyone and so currently I don’t really care what happens to anyone at this point. Hopefully this will change in volume two. ...more

If you need something quick and sweet to put you in a good mood then this miniseries would be it. Told from the point of view of, animal lover, YuikoIf you need something quick and sweet to put you in a good mood then this miniseries would be it. Told from the point of view of, animal lover, Yuiko – Beast Master was one of those shoujo’s with a unique premise but with all the familiar clichés. But before I tell you what I enjoyed about this story I must say I never would have given it a shot if didn’t already love Motomi Kyoususke’s current series Dengeki Daisy but because I do I did give Beast Master a try and am sorry I did not pick it up sooner.

The story begins with our heroine Yuiko trying to coax a cat to come to her, her neighbor’s cat who likes to go out and because Yuiko loves animals so much she doesn’t mind. Well she may not mind but the animals do. After Yuiko gets the cat in her arms and nearly crushes it with her affection he escapes up a tree after clawing her face, this is when Yuiko sees a guy in the tree. The next day Yuiko finds out the guy is a new student in her class and his name is Leo. Leo seems very serious and scary to the other students in the school but Yuiko who recognizes him as the guy who got the cat down from the tree the other day goes up to him and thanks him and we find out Leo isn’t scary at all. He’s actually quite adorable and sort of like an animal himself.

I loved both characters in this story, Yuiko is funny and brave despite getting herself into typical damsel in distress situations and Leo was a cross between cute and smexy but mostly just cute. I couldn’t fully believe that because he grew up in the wild all his life that he would act more animal than human because he isn’t Mowgli he was actually raised by his father and guardian Toka-san but I let it slide because hey this isn’t a series that should be taken seriously but even if it’s not to be taken seriously Beast Master could have been great if the plot was just fleshed out a bit more.

Still the story was an interesting and fun read this mangaka knows how to keep her readers laughing and awing and her males stands out in the sea of bishounen that seem to plague this genre. ...more

This story was just as cute as its cover and represented by it very well. It reminded me of a Sarah Dessen novel and when I read a Sarah Dessen novelThis story was just as cute as its cover and represented by it very well. It reminded me of a Sarah Dessen novel and when I read a Sarah Dessen novel it invokes the feeling of summer – fun, friendship, warm lazy days, and teen moments that I wish I had. Shug did all that for me but with a younger protagonist. A protagonist who was intelligent, funny, and very likable but someone who also (as every twelve year old should) makes mistakes by saying things she shouldn’t say and at times doing things she would regret later on. Read More...more

This book was read as part of BA Reading Challenge’s 2011 Dystopian Challenge and although not on my list initially it quickly became a part of it aftThis book was read as part of BA Reading Challenge’s 2011 Dystopian Challenge and although not on my list initially it quickly became a part of it after the constant praise being given to it from fellow bloggers. Completed in a few days Divergent wasn’t the spectacular Oh My Gosh! read I thought it was going to be but it was still a really enjoyable story about a strong, and truly brave heroine, that I completed easily in a matter of days.

Living in an unfamiliar Chicago that has been divided into five factions Beatrice Prior has to decide if she will remain in Abnegation, the selfless, or if she will choose the faction that fits her best and leave her family behind. It's a difficult decision if you view the choices like Beatrice does: (a) family, who she has known and been with all her life or (b) an uncertain future where she leaves them all behind to hopefully find her true self. If I was in Beatrice's position however I wouldn't find the choice to leave her old life behind so difficult. I love my family but I couldn't live my entire life in abnegation, not after I find out that a completely selfless life is a life where you have to suppress every self-indulgent impulse and every individualistic form of expression. Where even worrying about yourself is chastised because you shouldn't be thinking about yourself in the first place.

To the reader it's obvious that Beatrice does not belong in her current faction, but when she takes an aptitude test to help her decide which faction would fit her best the results offer Beatrice little help because her result isn't a faction at all, it's Divergent. What is Divergent? Beatrice and the reader do not find out until much later but it is something that could get Beatrice killed and should be kept secret from everyone.

The writing style in Divergent was straight forward and simple; the present tense had the story, for the most part, moving at a constant steady pace and although there was an underlying plot of “Government” conspiracy occurring, the main focus of the story was Beatrice/Tris and what kind of person she was and wanted to be. Divergent also focused on other characters as well, what made them tick, how they treated other people, what they believed in, their motives, and most importantly it focused on everyone’s fears and how they overcome them.

While reading Divergent I was constantly reminded of the Harry Potter series because like Harry, Tris and the other teens of Divergent are divided into groups that suit them except unlike HP the characters of Divergent don’t get “sorted” until they are sixteen and they get to choose where they want to go. And what really made me think of HP was how each faction like each house had specific qualities they consider most important. Amity, prefers peace over conflict, Erudite knowledge over ignorance, Dauntless abhorred cowardice, while people from Candor choose to be honest despite how it makes others feel, and Abnegtion sacrifice individualism to be selfless. All of the qualities these factions choose to follow seem quite worthy on the surface but when you realize how they interpret their beliefs and how they choose to follow them you realize the dangers or dark side of each.

Was this book worth the read? It definitely was and I can’t wait to read Insurgent but I don’t think it was worth the hype that surrounded it. It was a page-turner certainly and it was certainly a world that I could easily immerse myself into but Divergent didn’t really come across as the stand-out, refreshing novel I was expecting it to be....more

Set in the hauntingly, magical city of Prague Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is about Karou, a peculiar girl with blue hair she claims toSet in the hauntingly, magical city of Prague Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is about Karou, a peculiar girl with blue hair she claims to grow naturally out of her head, with tattoos of eyes on her palms that she has had long before she can remember, and sketchbooks filled with beasts of all kinds that are as beautiful as they are frightening, beasts that all of Karou’s friends think come straight from her imagination but are as real as the wish beads Karou wears around her neck. Daughter of Smoke and Bone is about an art student, who has no idea where she came from, whose earliest memory is Brimstone, a chimera whose mysterious work involves the collection of teeth and the creation of wishes. Whose workshop can be accessed through doors positioned all over the world and whose shop doesn’t seem to be in the real world at all but Elsewhere.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is about a threat to Karou’s way of life that may finally reveal who Karou truly is, but at a price that may take away everything she loves.

Through her rich and sensory writing style Laini Taylor really succeeded in taking a concept that, in my opinion, was overdone to the point of being mundane and turning it into a distinctive and noteworthy story. Her talent for description and world building was what won me over in Daughter of Smoke and Bone, a story that could have been ordinary if written by the wrong person but ended up being wonderful.

This was such a beautiful book, a book that, in my opinion, really sets the bar for paranormal YA. All of you who think you love your books about angels and forbidden romance or those like me who have been disappointed with all the angel books you’ve come across pick up Daughter of Smoke and Bone because it will be such a delightful surprise and have you wishing that you had found it sooner.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone is a novel that deserves to be read slowly to appreciate the detail and effort put into it, but if you find yourself whipping through it I won’t blame you....more

The story begins with our protagonist Alex getting what he wants, a weekend alone while his nagging mother, distracted father, and annoying little sisThe story begins with our protagonist Alex getting what he wants, a weekend alone while his nagging mother, distracted father, and annoying little sister go and visit his uncle’s family in Warren, Illinois. Unfortunately, Alex isn’t even alone a day before the house is set on fire and he is nearly killed. What happened? Something very big and very hot had crashed through the roof of his home and into his sister’s empty bedroom and as it turns out Alex’s home isn’t the only place on fire, there is smoke rising up throughout the entire neighborhood.

It doesn’t take very long for the situation to get from bad to worse after the sky is darkened and filled with ash and Alex makes the tough decision to walk the solo journey to find his family.

Well the journey isn't easy as to be expected when there are no cars to catch a ride on because all of their engines have been ripped apart by ash, or when food runs out because there is a shortage in supplies and people start getting desperate and doing desperate things. There was no telling what would happen to Alex as he made the trip and all throughout his journey I would fill up with tension whenever he would encounter a person because there was no way to know how this person would treat him. Was he in danger or was he safe? Would they help him or would they hurt him?

The many different reactions to the natural disaster were so varied yet all possible that it was obvious that Mr. Mullin had done his research and not only in the social and economic fallout of such a scenario but in the actual cause itself and he did a great job in applying it to the story that it didn't feel at all like I was reading a text book.

But now on to why I really enjoyed reading Ashfall - the characters. Alex may have started off as a kid who liked to keep himself in his room playing World of Warcraft but he grows right before the reader's eyes becoming someone you could depend on and someone who could survive without loosing his humanity. Also, the kid had a black belt in tae kwon do. I'll refrain from squeeing and being fangirly but if your character knows any kind of martial art he is instantly cool in my eyes especially if he doesn't perceive himself as cool. Tae kwon do didn't define Alex it was just a part of who he was and it sure saved his butt on many occasions.

Darla was also another great character, we meet her along the way and she was the rational, tough love opposite to Alex's bleeding heart. Where Alex almost seemed to dig himself into a whole to help those in desperate need Darla was the level headed realist who kept things afloat. A true self-sufficient person who proves herself through her actions Darla is a person I would want on my side in any dire situation.

Anyway to wrap things up because I've talked too long, Ashfall is a well thought out speculative tale that shows the grim reality of how far people are willing to go to stay alive but it also shows the hopeful truth that despite the situation people can still choose to be kind. ...more

I was hoping that I would like this book but I unfortunately did not. We'll start with the positives, I liked that the setting of this story is not yoI was hoping that I would like this book but I unfortunately did not. We'll start with the positives, I liked that the setting of this story is not your typical high school. The atmosphere of Sword & Cross is secluded and dark. Their is a sense of mystery that hangs over the dilapidated buildings and unkempt grounds of the school and it suits the mood of the story well.

The students themselves are also not our typical cliques that we come across in YA books that are set in high school. Yes, Luce categorizes the students into stereotypes when she first sees them sitting outside but the minor characters she interacts with do not fall into these groups.

Now the negatives, I felt Fallen could have been written about any magical creatures whether vampires, angels or elves. The protagonist, Luce was frustrating and certainly not someone I would want to deal with. She didn't feel like a worthy heroine to me, she wasn't worthy of her friend Penn who I found to be a strong, smart and witty, independent girl and she wasn't worthy of Daniel who places her above everyone else.

I cannot see myself picking up Torment when it comes out later this year.

Adapted from the Evil Spirits series by Fuyumi Ono Ghost Hunt is an enjoyable delightful read with enough spook factor to keep me in suspense withoutAdapted from the Evil Spirits series by Fuyumi Ono Ghost Hunt is an enjoyable delightful read with enough spook factor to keep me in suspense without keeping me up at night with nightmares.

After she accidentally causes his assistant injury Shibuya employs Mai Taniyama as his temporary assistant while he investigates a supposedly haunted old school building. Shibuya or Naru-chan as Mai calls him due to his narcissism has been hired by Mai's school principal along with a Buddhist monk, Catholic priest, Shinto priestess and psychic medium to figure out why accidents keep happening around the old building. But it seems that all of these professionals might be in over their head when their exorcisms turn out to have no effect and Naru-chan's equipment along with the medium detect that there are no spirits in the building. Still how do you explain the strange noises and violent activity that seem to point fingers to a poltergeist?

Filled with a cast of colourful characters Ghost Hunt is different from the usual manga I tend to read, not necessarily shoujo or shounen I think both genders would enjoy this series greatly. Mai is a heroine with a subtle strength, she's not terribly brilliant but she asks questions , is observant and sympathetic and kind. Naru isn't your typical male manga MC as he's narcissistic and mean most of the time but he's also intelligent and knows what he is doing. And he does give respect where it is due but don't expect him to be nice to you if your a nuisance.

What I also liked about Ghost Hunt was that an entire story was finished in one volume as opposed to other mangas where one story is dragged over a course of many volumes. It didn't feel rushed and it didn't feel like anything was missing and this volume was also a great set up for the next volumes to come because it introduced us to the characters without delving out too much information on them. I want to know what other adventures these guys will have and I want to know how the relationship between all of them will develop.

Points to the publisher (DelRey): I appreciated the explanation on honorifics and the translation notes at the front and back of the book. ...more

The ARC was provided by the publishers Sea Lion Books. Thank-you very much for requesting a review.

I have to say I have not read much comic books (inThe ARC was provided by the publishers Sea Lion Books. Thank-you very much for requesting a review.

I have to say I have not read much comic books (in fact I think this is my second one) and after my experience with the first one I read I was worried that I would not enjoy the very little amount of pages I get with one issue. With graphic novels and manga you get at least 100 pages. I was worried that the story would feel rushed or lacking development but I am relieved to say that that never happened here.

Dark Swan starts us off with our protagonist in the middle of exorcising a death spirit from a shoe and although she gets tossed around a bit our heroine gets the job done with the calm and ease of a person who has done this sort of thing for awhile. And right before this job is even done Eugenie has another job offer, something for more dangerous than banishing a dark looming Keres. A job that would require her to cross into the Otherworld physically to rescue a kidnapped girl from faeries or as the tricky folk prefers to be called - Gentry.

I haven’t read the Storm Born novels yet which wasn’t a problem at all because there didn’t feel like there was anything important missing that I needed to know, the pacing was perfect and I enjoyed the casual revelations of Eugenie’s life. She enjoys puzzles in her downtime, she has a roommate who gets himself laid with faux Native American poetry and she isn’t the only shaman in the family.

Eugenie’s also not the cold, calculating person she pretends to be. She may be able to kick ass and say she isn’t going to risk getting herself killed by saving a girl she’s never met but that doesn’t stop her from mulling it over and seriously consider the idea of potentially falling into what looks like a trap.

The art is also something I really enjoyed, facial expression and emotion were portrayed very well and objects (like Eugenie’s tattoos) were detailed enough to show that the original novel was given proper attention without distracting the reader from the story itself.

A great start to the story, if you enjoy your heroines tough but still feminine and your stories with magic and action then pick up Dark Swan on Wednesday when it comes out. We can all then whine over the cliffhanger together....more

Thanks to my wonderful friend I was able to borrow her ARC of Hush, Hush and I just finished reading this book a few minutes ago and must say that I lThanks to my wonderful friend I was able to borrow her ARC of Hush, Hush and I just finished reading this book a few minutes ago and must say that I loved it! I need the sequel now and this book does not officially release until next month, how am I going to survive the wait? The characters were thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining, the protagonist her best-friend and Patch were each hilarious in their own right and I enjoyed a certain aspect Nora and I shared and was happy to completely understand her when that aspect of her life presented a problem (would give you more details but I don't want to spoil).

What I can say though is Hush, Hush is as hilarious as it is suspenseful and dark, and Patch is as terrifying as he is addicting.

The book had me hooked from before I read it and still has me in its clutches long after I've put it down....more

I didn't want to read this book because I knew it was going to be SAD (capital letters there) and would have me in tears but then I saw the wonderfulI didn't want to read this book because I knew it was going to be SAD (capital letters there) and would have me in tears but then I saw the wonderful trailer which made me want to see the movie (despite knowing that would make me SAD too) so I decided I could not see this movie unless I read the book (I did this for The Maze Runner too) and so I bought the book and read it in a matter of days and I was right it was SAD, it had me in tears but my tears didn't land on the pages like I told my friends it would, they landed on my pillow and shirt.

This book though isn't just a SAD book that will hurt you it's a funny book that will make you laugh and a heart WARMING book that will well warm your heart.

Hazel took a while to like but I did grow to like her and I loved Augustus and Isaac and the parents, the poor parents were grand as well as Ms. Lidewij.

And there are so many "quote du jour" moments in this book. These are some unbelievably eloquent teens I tell you (more eloquent then I will ever be). I was pretty much in disbelief reading a good portion of the dialogue or Hazel's POV but boy are they quotable. Put them all on a t-shirt!

Bloody Kiss is a short story about a high school girl who inherits an old broken down mansion from her grandmother. What comes as a surprise though isBloody Kiss is a short story about a high school girl who inherits an old broken down mansion from her grandmother. What comes as a surprise though is that the mansion is inhabited by two vampires.

I'll be honest and say that this story was OK. The main character, Kiyo, is a smart strong willed girl who can basically take care of herself and I like that about her. If you read a lot of shojo manga our heroines tend to be love struck girls who need saving every five seconds or they or on the opposite end of the spectrum and are annoyingly aggressive. Well Kiyo tends to lean towards the aggressive side of the spectrum (and usually when our male MC tries to make moves on her).

There doesn't seem to be an underlying story but many little ones which doesn't help that the story is short already. We get little bits and pieces of Kiyo's and Kuroboshi back stories but its not enough. We know that Kiyo's father was falsely accused of a crime and she wants to be a lawyer but that's it, nothing else is told about that part of her life. We know that Kuroboshi is a dhampir and that he was an outcast because of it but that's it nothing more.

There was a great potential for this story to be good if it was longer and allowed time for character and plot development and took out the little stories that never really added any substance to the romance that was supposed to be in here....more

I don't read much short stories and I've never read erotica before but I have to say that this was an excellently written story and I completely enjoyI don't read much short stories and I've never read erotica before but I have to say that this was an excellently written story and I completely enjoyed it. The author's writing style is beautiful and the story, from a very eye opening beginning, had me glued to the pages until the very end. Jocelyn, the main character, can't seem to stop loving (lusting?) Max no matter how hard she tries because every time she leaves she keeps coming back and although I could perfectly see why she kept coming back (the man has talent ;)) I also wanted to know the mystery behind her and Max's relationship and more importantly Max himself. Knowing this was a paranormal even before I won this ebook from Aine's Realm I was curious to find out what the paranormal was because I could definitely see traces of it but never figured it out until it was revealed and I loved that because too many times I have read stories where I completely figured out they mystery before the main character and then its just frustrating to wait for the MC to catch up. Maybe the short story had a hand on me not catching on sooner, or maybe the author is really just that great at not laying all the cards out on the table, or maybe its both but I will say that I will be keeping an eye out for more of Seleste deLaney's work and hope that maybe there is a full-length novel in the future for me to read....more

I discovered this story through the amazing art posted on Shilin Huang’s deviantart account and once I found out the art was part of a manga of hers II discovered this story through the amazing art posted on Shilin Huang’s deviantart account and once I found out the art was part of a manga of hers I followed the link she posted and read volume 1 in one sitting. Carciphona is a high fantasy set in an alternate universe where demon magic or common magic that used to be practiced freely and without fear of persecution became outlawed after the appearance of an assassin who basically wreaked havoc on the world. And the reason this assassin’s appearance led to the banning of all demon magic was because it was believed that she was a carciphona or the result of demon magic infecting humans. And although never proven as fact, after magic was banned the assassin known as Blackbird coincidentally disappeared and this quickly became to be known as true leading to all living sorcerers to be met with disdain and fear. Veloce who is our heroine is a sorceress and through the “kindness” of the king was allowed to live in his kingdom as long as she never used magic again, this didn’t exactly equal a happy life and thus the story ensues.

Now, I really enjoy high fantasy stories and have in fact never read a manga that falls under this genre, only novels. It was certainly a different experience because when I read a high fantasy its usually quite slow in the beginning because the world has to be established and set up. Certain things have to be explained before the reader can be fully pulled into the story and that does sort of happen here but not extensively. There is a scene where the history behind the banning of magic or establishment of the Prohibition is explained and we get an implied sense that the world inside the story, Maelstrom, is divided into different kingdoms but besides this and the two different kinds of magic shown in this first volume there is still a lot to learn about the world of Carciphona. That is perfectly understandable of course, no one enjoys info dumps and if the world building can unfold gradually by being woven naturally throughout the story then I look forward to reading more. Another reason there couldn’t be much world building in this particular volume was because there was a lot of action and some character development.

Thanks to the gorgeous artwork the action scenes were pretty top notch, hard to follow at times yes but I have that problem with all action scenes I read which is why I prefer my shounen-like stories to be animated, still it can’t be helped, there was a lot of action sequences in this first volume and mostly between two more than capable female characters I might add. Which was very refreshing, usually in the action-centric stories you tend to have the guys taking centre stage while the ladies provided assistance or are just nuisances who get in the way. Not so here. Along with the action was character development for our main character but development that felt a little rushed. I love a well rounded character but it seemed too much happened in this one volume for me to feel satisfied with the whole piece. In the beginning Veloce is basically a recluse who just lets people treat her the way they want but at the end of the first volume she does a sort of one eighty after a specific event. It felt like I knew too little about her to fully understand her yet or even like her so when she grew in such a short time I couldn’t fully appreciate the growth in her. This, like world building, should have been woven into the story more naturally I think though I won’t lose faith yet there are still some parts of Veloce that require growth and I will be reading the next volume to see it happen.

Certainly a more serious story than I usually read I wouldn't have minded a little more humour to add levity to this first volume. The few sprigs of comedy that were shown were nice but not enough to actually lighten the mood and keep Carciphona volume 1 from being a little dull in some places. Still it was definitely worth the read and I recommend this to all who enjoy high quality art, action and fantasy....more

Picking up exactly where issue number one ends issue number two dives straight into action. After a night of some hot love making with a guy named KyoPicking up exactly where issue number one ends issue number two dives straight into action. After a night of some hot love making with a guy named Kyo who Eugenie had connected with earlier that night the two get a surprise visit before the night is even over. Or more specifically Eugenie gets a visit and Kyo is the unlucky one who will have to deal with the hotel room charges for damages. I doubt that was on his mind though when, to Eugenie's surprise, he swoops into protector mode and attacks the intruder who looks like a giant walking ice age and actually puts up a decent fight. Our girl Eugenie isn’t one to stand on the sidelines though and it’s her shaman magic that finally sends the creature back to where he came from leaving behind two very shocked and naked adults staring each other down in a hotel room.

The night ends with very little answers however as Kyo literally disappears before Eugenie could get any answers from him or send him to the underworld and our heroine feels like an idiot for getting involved with what could have possibly been one of the creatures she works every day to vanquish. And another thing to claim her thoughts is that another creature knew her true name and there is more than normal paranormal activity happening around her than she’s used to.

Another great issue with a lot more action than the previous book which was shown beautifully through vivid colours and well-drawn action sequences, and a lot more development in the story as well. We got to see more of Eugenie’s family life and relationships as well as learn more about what she’s like beneath her hard shell and it makes her an even more a likable person then she already was. Another great thing about this issue was the revelation of Kyo being far more than human who I hope to learn more about in issues to come since we don’t get to see him anymore after the first few pages.

There was a lot more narration than I would have liked but I understand that the narration was vital to telling the story and couldn’t be left out and it definitely wasn’t enough of an issue to stop me from wanting to read the next book....more

**Thank-you Sea Lion Books for allowing me to read an ARC for review.**

What I found appealing about Pariah the moment I found out about it was that it**Thank-you Sea Lion Books for allowing me to read an ARC for review.**

What I found appealing about Pariah the moment I found out about it was that it was a story about teens, special teens being hunted down simply because they were different. It’s a story I've heard of before but in Pariah the teens don't have special powers they are simply too smart for their own good.

In this first issue we meet Brent Marks a vitro who adamantly declares that he is not a freak on the second page but at the same time he is teaching a high school class of uninterested teens that what he has designed has limitless possibilities and could make any of them millions if they took his equation to the right company. And when Brent shows his frustration with the continued indifference of his peers I can't help but be reminded of my own former teachers back in high school because that’s exactly how they would have reacted. And it just solidifies the idea that Brent Marks isn't a completely normal teenager even if he has no idea what goes on inside a girl’s head like every other boy his age.What sets the story in motion is what happens a few pages later when Brent returns home to his average parents. A disaster has occurred and suddenly all vitros everywhere has been declared terrorists and Brent is suddenly in deep trouble.

A story portrayed in rough lines and watercolour like style with soft hues, the art is certainly something that will take getting used to as I’ve never seen anything like it before but it was still beautiful to look at and had me taking in every detail on the page.

This book was a good start to what looks like to be a very promising series, a chapter to one what lays ahead....more

After loving the Disney movie version for so long I finally read the original story. Not this edition in particular with illustrations but I couldn'tAfter loving the Disney movie version for so long I finally read the original story. Not this edition in particular with illustrations but I couldn't find the one I read. Many who have read the original story that both stories are very different and they are. I loved the author's descriptions of the mermaid kingdom it was so much more beautiful than what was shown in the animated movie and the little mermaids sacrifice was much greater though she took no less time to think about the horrible consequences to her actions and although the love she had for the prince felt more realistic in the original story because she had a lot more time to actually know him I do like the prince in the movie better xD. And although I loved reading about her sisters and actually having a grandmother who told her stories (in the original version) I also like sugar happy endings (in Disney at least) and catchy songs so you can guess which one I choose in the end....more

In Leviathan the story took place in Britain, Austria, Switzerland and for a majority of the time in the air but in Behemoth now that Alek and Deryn hIn Leviathan the story took place in Britain, Austria, Switzerland and for a majority of the time in the air but in Behemoth now that Alek and Deryn have met they continue on their journey on the Leviathan to the Ottomon Empire where Dr. Barlow's secret mission is finally revealed. Things never run smoothly when you're in the middle of a war however and before the two can set their eyes on their destination it's revealed that Britain is officially at war with Austria, pushing everyone to make difficult decisions.

I have never read a book that was set in Istanbul, all of the historical fiction I've read has been set in Britain or America and all of the steampunk I've heard about seems to be set in Europe but Istanbul was a refreshing change of scenery and it was enjoyable to read about the hodgepodge of cultures living in this cosmopolitan. Behemoth is an altered history of course but from the author's afterword where he talks about what was true and what was changed I believe he remained quite true to the culture and feel of this country.[image error]The setting isn't of course what had me excited to read Behemoth, now that we've already been introduced to the world of Scott Westerfeld's Darwinist versus Clanker war we are delving further into the plot and after the events in Leviathan I was ready to see what else was going to happen to our brave protagonists. Deryn, the girl disguised as a boy in the Royal Air Service who continues to shine in dire situations, still hasn't told anyone her secret despite almost telling Alek in the previous book and this deceit wasn't a problem before until Alek started trusting Deryn with secrets of his own and now the guilt is getting to her.

Alek, the Austiran prince on the run who continues to grow humble and independent, still has the German army looking for him. And even if they can't find him, now that Britain is at war with Austria he and his crew aren't too far away from becoming prisoners of war even if everyone on board the Leviathan aren't treating them differently (yet).[image error]Just like Leviathan there were no dull moments to be found in Behemoth and I chewed through this book in about half the time it took me to get through its predecessor (even though its longer). There were new beasties, clanker creations, dynamic characters, and a revolution. And of course there were the two main characters barreling down their own paths that at many times flowed together and other times (to my detriment) drifted apart. If Leviathan made me a fan, Behemoth made me obsessive and I desperately need the next book.

First thing I have to say is when I picked up Dime Store Magic I expected witty humour, a strong take no lip heroine, and action galore. And the seconFirst thing I have to say is when I picked up Dime Store Magic I expected witty humour, a strong take no lip heroine, and action galore. And the second thing I have to say is that is what I got. Kelley Armstrong’s writing never ceases to disappoint whether the genre be YA or Adult. The characters are always real, the relationships between them dynamic, and the darkness thrown in keeping me glued to the pages.

From the Prologue the stage was set and from there the problems and enemies that Paige and Savannah had to face just kept mounting and mounting the next tougher to handle then the one before it. In this story loyalties were tested, prejudices broken (sort of) and our heroine strengthened. It was just one big chaotic ripple effect leading up to the climatic explosion in the end (not really but you get the idea) and I have to say if this was a movie I’d be walking away from the theaters going wow....more

It is Harry Potter’s birthday and instead of having a party, presents or even a card from his friends Harry has to endure the same treatment he alwaysIt is Harry Potter’s birthday and instead of having a party, presents or even a card from his friends Harry has to endure the same treatment he always gets from his horrible aunt, uncle and stupid cousin Dudley. Actually, no it’s worse. Harry actually ends up being punished for playing a harmless joke on his cousin and spends most of the day cleaning the house and maintaining the lawn, after nearly getting his head bashed in with a frying pan by his aunt. Worst birthday ever (which is the title of the chapter, sort of) and it’s not just because of the things listed above. Harry received a visit from a house elf that led to a ruined important meeting for Harry’s Uncle Vernon and Harry being literally locked in his bedroom and only allowed out for bathroom breaks.

Now I have read this series a few times and I remember not liking Harry’s aunt and uncle, heck I probably hated them because they really are just awful guardians, heck they are awful parents. Not only do they treat Harry with malice but they spoil their son Dudley rotten, overstuff him with food to the point of obesity and just raise him to be an awful person. But back in my younger days when I read this series I obviously didn’t realize just how terribly Harry’s aunt and uncle treated him. It’s child abuse really. After Dobby the house elf gets Harry (purposely) in trouble, Harry is locked in his room, bars are placed on his window, a cat flap installed on his door for food to go through, and he actually starts to starve because most of the food his aunt gives him to eat is watery vegetable soup. Soup that he shares with his pet owl Hedwig because the poor thing has been locked into her own cage and isn’t allowed to hunt. Maybe all of this was done to show how wonderful the Weasley family is in comparison or that all the events that take place in the following school year, no matter how terrifying, really is much better than living with the Dursleys.

In the Chamber of Secrets the story is a lot more intense and darker than the Philosopher’s Stone. Students are being attacked, Harry is hearing voices no one else can here, and it’s hard to know who to trust, Harry even ends up suspecting a close friend. This second installment in the series had mystery and twists and I loved every minute of it but my favourite parts on this re-read had to be the development of the world and the characters. Early on in the book we get to see The Burrow (Ron’s home) and meet his awesome family, see firsthand Arthur Weasley’s and Lucius Malfoy’s hatred for one another. Take a visit down Knockturn Alley, learn about the four founders of the school particularly Salazar Slytherin and find out about not only Lord Voldemort’s school days but Hagrid’s as well.

There were also a few delicious moments of foreshadowing that had me grinning, two things I know that will come back in book six and one that we will see in Prisoner of Azkaban. J.K Rowling really did plan this whole series out from the beginning and that, readers, is why she is called brilliant. Her writing style also improved greatly in this sequel which is part of the reason these books just get better and better....more

It was a decent read. It may have probably been best if I started from the beginning of the series as opposed to starting with book #5 but I understooIt was a decent read. It may have probably been best if I started from the beginning of the series as opposed to starting with book #5 but I understood what was going on. Both Jack and Annie are travelers who travel to different places through pictures in books by the use of a Magical tree house that belongs to Morgan Le Fey. In Night of the Ninjas the siblings realize that Morgan needs their help. The magical librarian has left behind an unfinished message for them with clues, they must find four things and to do this they must travel back to ancient Japan where ninjas and samurai were quite common.

I like ninjas so I borrowed the book from my friend and read it in about 15 minutes, a nice read but not interesting enough for me to continue onto the next book to find out how Jack and Annie will help Morgan. If I was the intended target reader though I'm sure I would have enjoyed this much more :)....more

You guys I'm kind of sad, no, that's not the proper word - distraught. This series is over like really over as in this was the last book and there wilYou guys I'm kind of sad, no, that's not the proper word - distraught. This series is over like really over as in this was the last book and there will be no more in the story and I don't know what to do with myself because it feels like this series and I were running to catch a train and it made it but I didn't and now I'm stuck on the platform watching it move away and I'm never going to see it again. Yes, I am being dramatic but you must have read a series that completely blew your mind and then ended because all series must, you have to remember how you felt when you read the last page and it sunk in that that was the last, last page. This happened to me with other books on a less dramatic scale but there is one other series that has made me feel this way and that would have to be the Harry Potter books.

Now, these two series are nothing a like story wise - Harry Potter was a contemporary fantasy about a boy who finds out he is a wizard and attends a school and discovers he's not only a wizard but famous. Leviathan is a steampunk/alternate history that takes place in the year 1914, and is told from the points of view of Aleksander, Prince of Austria, and Deryn Sharp a girl disguised as a boy in the Royal Air Service. On the other hand, what both books do have in common (at least for me) is that they are both set in fantastically created worlds filled with detail and brilliance, they both have great MCs and equally great minor characters that aren't just there to be props and they are both filled with many daring adventures.

At the end of Behemoth Alek still didn't know that Deryn was a girl and Deryn knowing that Alek would never be with a commoner had made peace with herself and firmly decided that she would never tell Alek her true identity or her feelings for him. Alek, who's family tragedy started the war still firmly believes that he must end it especially after the successful revolution in Istanbul and with all these secrets and goals brewing the Leviathan continues its journey east.

When the synopsis said "around the world tour" it really meant around the world. In Leviathan we got to travel through Austria, Switzerland and Britain, in Behemoth we were in Istanbul and in Goliath we traveled from Serbia to Japan to San Francisco, onwards through Mexico and finally New York City. I loved seeing how each country was familiar but changed because they were melded to fit in Westerfeld's Clanker vs. Darwinist world. Like a reporter with a recording frog perched on his shoulder, and video cameras that look like giant walking weapons from the distance. I also loved the name drops sprinkled throughout the story like Mikimoto - who works with fabricated pearls or Ford who has plans to make transportation walkers.

These weren't the aspects that had me glued to the pages however because a story is nothing without the protagonists and I have to say Alek and Deryn never disappoint. Deryn is finding it a lot harder to keep her secret and the more risk she takes the more danger she is in of being found out. Still who would Deryn be if she wasn't the first person to zip down a line or strap on a glider and although her actions are never done deliberately to put her in the spot light its impossible not to notice someone so brilliant. Alek is finally learning what kind of person he is and who he wants to be, the plan from the very beginning was to hide away and ride the war out but Alek knows he'll never be content with staying still especially when there is a war and every person seems to be doing whatever they can to fight it or fight in it.

While this isn't a romance series (thank goodness) the romance or should I say feelings in the series had been growing more and more steadily which each passing book and I beamed whenever Alek and Deryn were in scenes together. Not because there was mushiness going on but because these two best friends fit so well together. I just loved how easily they trusted each other with their secrets, and how one admired the other for their actions and who they were. There was never any long paragraphs of how hot one person looked or how one person made the other feel, everything was shown to the reader through the actions of the characters and never had to be jammed into my head. Understated love is what keeps me from rolling my eyes and actually feeling a tender moment for what its suppose to be - tender.

Am I happy with the way this series ended? Yes, I was smiling because it was sweet and its the ending the characters deserved and its an ending that fits. Am I sad the series has ended? I think the first paragraph in this review answers that question....more

Two identical twin brothers, one is a trouble maker with no plans to continue his education pass junior high; the other has a scholarship to a famousTwo identical twin brothers, one is a trouble maker with no plans to continue his education pass junior high; the other has a scholarship to a famous boarding school. One wishes to become a doctor and help people while the other is a demon. No really, and not just any kind of demon but the spawn of Satan himself and unfortunately for Rin, daddy is more interested in setting up room and board inside his body than taking him out for some father/son bonding time.

What makes things worst though is that the same day Rin learns all of this his last living guardian dies protecting him and now he and his brother Yukio only have each other. And Yukio has a secret of his own that is just another big shock in Rin’s life.

Like all good shounen Blue Exorcist has a good balance of light humor and intense action sequences not to mention a protagonist with a goal to become something greater than who he is. In Naruto its to be Hokage, in One Piece its to be Pirate King and in Blue Exorcist its to become a strong exorcist so that no one will ever have to die trying to protect him again. This isn’t going to be easy though because Rin isn’t the sit down and study type and being a demon himself he has to keep what he is a secret along with hiding a tail and pointy ears.

A good start to what looks like is going to be a promising series if it continues with the world building and building on the relationship between Rin and Yukio....more

A very quick read, its based on the original and I haven't read the original so I don't know how much was changed or whether this story had some partsA very quick read, its based on the original and I haven't read the original so I don't know how much was changed or whether this story had some parts better or some parts worse. I have seen the Disney animated film but that is completely different. My favourite part of this story were Eliza and her brothers, they were all very kind and loving towards each other and I love stories with strong family bonds. I was aggravated however with their father who allowed himself to be tricked by their evil stepmother, the king who fell in love with Eliza for not really trying to save her and at one point Eliza herself for not being able to do something to rescue herself.

Still its a very short story geared towards readers much younger than myself and I believe for the length of the book it told the story well with beautiful illustrations....more

Usually when my husband comes to bed I'm already asleep but the last couple of nights when he turns in for the night I was still up reading this bookUsually when my husband comes to bed I'm already asleep but the last couple of nights when he turns in for the night I was still up reading this book and he would say "you must really like that book". I don't know if I would say I like it, its not an enjoyable book. It was hard to read but I couldn't put it down and last night when my husband was ready to sleep I only had a few pages left so I continued to the end wanting to see what note the author chose to leave the book on and she ended it thankfully on a bit of hope. After reading the horrors the characters went through (horrors based on true stories) I was grateful the little bit of hope she gave in the end. This was such an important story to tell and one I had not known about until I picked it up. I highly recommend it to everyone....more

I bought this book for my brother because I am on a mission to get that boy to like reading and I am perfectly content if all he likes to read is grapI bought this book for my brother because I am on a mission to get that boy to like reading and I am perfectly content if all he likes to read is graphic novels because half the time that's what I read. I discovered Amulet in the bookstore read the very sad prologue, made a note to put it on my TBR list and when I came back to the bookstore bought it. I didn't buy it for me but I of course got to read it first while my little brother was at flag football practice.

In the prologue Emily and her parents are in the car on their way to pick up her brother Navin who is at a friend's house, it’s dark and has been snowing and unfortunately the truck approaching them has its high beams on. Emily's dad can't see a thing which almost causes him to crash into a car parked on the side of the road, quickly swerving to avoid it the family drive off the road and down a hill to the edge of a cliff. In the end Emily and her mom were able to get out but her dad who was trapped went over the edge with the car. Didn't I say the prologue was sad? But still that's what got me to continue reading because within the first few pages of the story such strong emotions were pulled out of me for characters I had just met. It’s interesting though, my friend had said this to me one day when we were watching a movie, why do they always start with a car accident? I supposed it’s because car accidents are such a common occurrence that happen everyday so it’s not far-fetched to have one happen in a story, its also not hard to orchestrate one, anything can cause an accident really.

We immediately move to two years later, another car but mom is driving and Emily is older and we see her younger brother Navin for the first time. The mood is mostly solemn and we find out that the family is moving to a small town far away and Emily isn't too excited about the move or with going to school (who uses algebra in the real world anyway?). Their new home screams horror movie with boarded up windows, no lighting, and dust covered floors but that doesn't deter the new residents because they attack the new home with cleaning gusto.

Of course the strange house has a strange room which belonged to Emily and Navin's great grandfather Silas who disappeared years ago. There is also something else in that room that only we the readers get to see that have its dark creepy eyes on our protagonist which I'm sure has something to do with the stone amulet Emily discovered.

That same night the story propels itself forward the moment everyone hears a noise in the basement and the mother is swallowed whole by a giant creature. Now no longer in their old world Emily and Navin have to save their mom and lucky for them the Amulet talks and is quite helpful.

This first volume was a fast paced adventure that was just dark enough in all the right places. Still, there is obviously a lot more to find out because this book also felt like the setup for the series. A lot of new characters were introduced both good and bad and the longer Emily wears the Amulet the deeper she pulls herself and her family into things as her brother would say and that doesn’t look like a good thing....more

I thought I was going to cry in the end and I did. It was so sad but so right at the same time. I love this book. I think it's my favourite book of thI thought I was going to cry in the end and I did. It was so sad but so right at the same time. I love this book. I think it's my favourite book of the year (so far). Buy it, borrow it, read it. I don't know what else to say....more

The story is really cute and hilarious. Kurosaki and Teru both crack me up and I love how she's not a typical love-strucked MC who needs saving all thThe story is really cute and hilarious. Kurosaki and Teru both crack me up and I love how she's not a typical love-strucked MC who needs saving all the time. She's actually not useless and is very smart and strong....more